Erin got Pitocin all day today, and she did have contractions, but they weren't steady enough to be "the real thing", and at 5:30 they pulled her off the meds so she could eat and sleep. (They first brought her the wrong tray, which had - and I quote - Chicken Parmigiana with Cranberry Sauce - on it. She ate the mashed potatoes,green beans, roll, and apple dumpling off that one. Tina went downstairs to get her Subway to "fill in the gaps". While Tina was gone, they brought her REAL tray. So she ate the peas and the salad and the grilled cheese off that one. Then she ate her Subway. Not that she was hungry or anything after not being able to eat all day...) SHE thinks she was in REAL labor, since her contractions were coming every 3 minutes or so, and lasting a minute to a minute and a half...the most reaction one got was a widening of her eyes and perhaps an "oof". I told her that they'd get harder, but I didn't have the heart to get any more graphic than that...honestly. She IS in for a surprise tomorrow, though, IMO. She has witnessed my sister giving birth, but my sister is one of those "4 pushes and I squirt the baby across the room" people...perhaps Erin has unreasonable expectations? Today's mission was apparently accomplished, though...her cervix has softened a bit, and so her body should be ready or at least readier tomorrow. She sent me home to sleep, so she and Marc could sleep, so we'd all be rested for the "big day" tomorrow...we'll start at about 8 am. She IS in a gorgeous suite, (sleeps 4, if necessary) and will have a tub tomorrow for the birth. She's planning on Marc being behind her in the tub, me in front of her in the tub, and a midwife on each side...today at one point there were 16 people in her suite, including
1 15-year old, a 14 year old, a 10 year old, and Wayne, Sarah, and Sarah's best friend who is also 4...and the nurse asked her if the noise was bothering her (the rooms are soundproofed, so we weren't bothering others) and Erin said "What noise? This is my life..."Jeanne - off to bed Three weeks, 6 hours, 54 minutes and 9 seconds. 851 cigarettes not smoked, saving $156.68. Life saved: 2 days, 22 hours, 55 minutes.